let's connect
by dofu
Summary: Kirihara stumbles across a new textmate while in the U-17 camp. Sometimes, it's easier to talk to a anonymous significant other than to someone you know. "Then I think of you and it's alright." — KiriSaku, multi-chapter ficlet
1. Chapter 1

**a/n: I just wanted to write something light hearted and stress-free! \o/ All chapters will be semi-short! I've marathon'd the U-17 episodes of TeniPuri yesterday and this idea has been inside my mind throughout the marathon.**

_'thoughts'_

_text message_

Hai = Yes or Ok

Sumimasen = Sorry in a formal way or I apologize.

_Kirihara stumbles across a new textmate while in the U-17 camp._

**let's connect.**

* * *

This training is harsh. His limits were being exceeded, tested every waking day. The training becomes fruitful by the end of the day however and it shows tremendously in the tennis court.

Akaya sighed as he wipes the sweat off his brow with a towel. "Thanks for the practice match Fuji-san!"

Kirihara Akaya held great respect for the Seigaku tensai, along with a bit of fear. The reason for Akaya requesting a practice match with Fuji is so he would to conquer his weakness and uneasiness of the sadistic senior.

Fuji smiled, he is still somewhat winded from their practice match. "Anytime. By the way, Kirihara, can you check my phone on the bleachers? I have another match and I want to know if anyone has called." Fuji walked to a different court and forest green eyes follow him.

"Eh, Fuji-san trusts me to check his phone?" Akaya didn't give it much thought before he goes do what Fuji had requested of him. The raven-haired lad hopped on the bleachers, going straight towards Fuji-san's bag. The boy rummaged through the bag for a phone. Once he found what he's looking for, Akaya flips the phone open.

"Ah, just a text…" A devious idea popped into his head. Akaya flashed a evil grins and reads the text that was meant for only Fuji's eyes.

_Fuji-senpai, your venus flytrap ate a cute ladybug!_ There is a cute sob face emoticon in the text.  
_I am starting to suspect that you left me responsible for your plant, knowing full well that it is dangerous!_  
_- Sakuno_

Akaya stared at the screen. How the heck can he make some sort of prank reply joke out of this? His brows knitted together, reading the text once more. This texter's style of writing sure is cute, Akaya notices. "Sakuno…" Where has he heard this name before? It's so familiar but Akaya couldn't wrap his head around where he had heard it from.

"What about Sakuno-chan?" Fuji spoke behind him, a dark look shown on his face.

Oh, shit.

Akaya jolted as he stood back up, stumbling backwards a bit. "U-Um-! This isn't what you think, Fuji-san…" The boy visibly paled, cowering slightly. Fuji wouldn't murder him over something this small, right? He should've expected the Rikkai ace to invade the privacy of his phone, dammit!

"It's fine. I have nothing to hide." Fuji's expression returned to its usual calm demeanor.

The younger boy sighed in relief and slowly relax. "Then…is she your girlfriend or something?" Akaya averted eye contact. Oh geez, he's still on the edge whenever he's with Fuji.

Fuji chuckled. "I wish. I just occasionally talk to her to keep me sane in this camp."

"Sane?" Akaya doesn't have anyone like that! D-Does he need one? He wasn't informed of this!

As if Fuji knew what's on Akaya's mind, he smiled. "What? You don't have a certain someone who can pull you out of this hell hole and keep you sane?" Akaya's eyes widen.

"Give me yours!" Akaya said without much or any thinking. His eyes show a fire-y determination.

Fuji opened his eyes, unsure of how to respond. A smile curve up his lips. '_This…ought to be fun…'_

"Sure."

* * *

_It's for experience._  
_- Syusuke_

Sakuno hadn't expected for her senpai to gift to her a penpal. Actually, textmate seems more like the appropriate thing to call it. Sakuno was a bit hesitant to accept her new penpal but she trusted her senpai's judgment, seeing as her senpai knows this person and he's in the U-17 camp along with her senpai.

_I-If you say so senpai… ;;_  
_- Sakuno_

Sakuno sat on her bed, awaiting a text from the anonymous textmate. "…Maybe I missed it?" The girl checked her phone for any incoming or new texts. There were none.

_'Or maybe…they're too shy to text first?' _Sakuno thought with a light snicker. She had thought most tennis players were rowdy and forward so it was cute thinking that her textmate might be shy and reserved, like herself.

Sakuno opened her phone and starts the text first to break the ice.

_Hello, I'm looking forward to talking with you!_  
_- Honey-chan_

**Send**.

Akaya leered at the blank screen of his phone from under the covers of the bunk bed. He's sharing a dorm room with a few other U-17 members and it's late at night so mostly everyone is fast asleep except for him. The raven-haired boy cursed under his breath. What the hell can he say? How does one start off with something like this? Why is he…getting all flustered for?

"Gahhh!" The boy recklessly rolls around in bed. "What do I do?"

"Shhh! Some people are trying to get some sleep, Kirihara!" Kamio threw a pillow at the big lump sticking out beneath a blanket in the bed near his. "So help me I'll kick you out of the room!" Akaya scowled but keeps his mouth shut for once. "Tch."

"You're louder than Akaya, Kamio-kun." Yukimura snickered.

"Can we just sleep?" Shiraishi complained, curling up and hides his face between two pillows.

Akaya's phone goes off, sending a heavy ring tone throughout the room.

"KIRIHARA!"

"Oops…" He forgot to put it on vibrate. "Suimasen~" Kirihara said in a sickeningly sweet sing-song voice just to piss Kamio off. After turning his phone to vibrate and receiving numerous glares from Kamio, Akaya checked his phone. "Ah…she sent the first one…" He mumbled. "Honey-chan…" Judging just from the text, this Sakuno…or 'Honey-chan' she seem to be a formal gal.

He wonders what alias he should go by. Something cool but simple for sure.

Akaya pondered on how he should reply.

_'Sup Honey-chan! I hope we get along. _  
_Would you like me to keep you updated on things going on in the camp?_  
_- Hellblazer_

Akaya paused. Shit…this sounds so stupid. She'll think he's stupid… The pen name is lame too…

_** ERASE.**_

_Hey, Honey-chan! Let's get along, ne?_  
_- Racket-sama_

"Heh, she'll probably get the impression that I'm Atobe-san if I add the suffix -sama…" Akaya replaced the '-sama' with '-kun'. Akaya looked over the text once more until he's satisfied.

**Send.**

A cheery beat alerted Sakuno of a new text. She checked it and a tiny smile appear on Sakuno's lips. "Racket-kun?" She giggled, thinking that's a perfect and cute name for her little textmate. Sakuno glanced outside her window, becoming alarmed that the sun has already set!

"I-I should tell him goodnight."

She fumbled her fingers a bit against the buttons.

_Hai Racket-kun. I wanted to say goodnight to you before you go to sleep by the way._  
_Um so, sweet dreams!_  
_- Honey-chan_

**Send.**

Akaya's phone vibrated. He's just about ready to pass out but at least got a glance at the new text.

"Sweet dreams, huh?"

Akaya draped an arm over his eyes. A lazy smirk spread across his lips.


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n: I think I'm going too fast with the development. Eh, what can you do when you're a shipper hahaha~. This chapter is kinda base from that one New Prince of Tennis episode, the one where Ryoma, Kenya, and Kei had that special mission and Akaya freaking out over a ghost. Oh, and rating changed to T for usage of foul language.**

_'thoughts'_

_text message_

Hai = Yes or Ok

Honto Ni Sumimasen = I'm very sorry

___Kirihara stumbles across a new textmate while in the U-17 camp. _

**let's connect.**

* * *

Akaya woke up along with everyone else from the morning alarms blaring throughout the camp. "Damn…I had a _sweet dream_." The Rikkai ace groaned, stuffing two pillows between his head as he tosses and turns. He can't remember what his dream was about, dammit!

"Geez, can't they lower the volume of that thing, nya?" Eiji hopped off the top bunk bed that connected to Akaya's lower bunk. Akaya sat upright and yawned. "I dunno Kikumaru, a few people here are heavy sleepers." Kamio said groggily, rubbing his eyes as he sits up on the edge of the bed.

"Hah, let them sleep and get eliminated from not showing up for practice." Akaya grined, tousling his unruly raven hair. He earned a glare from Kamio, Akaya only smirking widely towards him in return. "You must already know this but you're very unpleasant Kirihara…"

Akaya shrugged then looked towards the direction where Yukimura's bed should be. "Ah, he's already up? Shiraishi-san too…" The boy whistled. "As expected from captains, gone before the morning bell rang."

"Hoi, hoi, maybe you're just a lazyass~" Eiji grined, poking fun at Akaya.

Eiji fell backwards after receiving a knuckle serve thrown at his face, via pillow style.

Akaya felt a vibration beneath his leg. Ah, his phone. He didn't put it away last night. He roamed his hand underneath the blanket and feel for his phone, grabbing it once he felt the familiar surface. "Let's see, let's see." The boy anxiously flipped the phone open.

_Good morning, Racket-kun._  
_I asked Fuji-senpai for Court 3's schedule so I wouldn't bother you while you're doing something important!_  
_- Honey-chan_

His round forest green eyes widen slightly. He couldn't believe how considerate this chick is. It's like; she knows how to make him unresponsive and dumbstruck. Does she think hard about how to reply like he does or text at random? Or does she naturally go with the flow of things? "Hm…" He murmured something under his breath and began to collect his thoughts on his to respond while getting ready for the day.

_'Morning Honey-chan._  
_Don't bother with that. I don't check my phone during the day, only mornings and nights. _  
_Sorry, I'm not such a great penpal._  
_- Racket-kun_

**Send.**

"So, what's he like? Not better than Ryoma-sama, right?"

Sakuno winced when she heard Tomoka mention Ryoma on the other end of the line on her phone. He isn't someone she'd want to think about in the morning right now. She's on her way to the school for morning practice for Seigaku girl's tennis team. Although it's summer break, there's still practice of course. Sakuno wouldn't have it any other way, really. Her captain told her that she was quite promising for someone who's been getting serious about tennis for only half a year now and just that motivates her by tenfolds!

"Um, I don't know Tomo-chan." Sakuno answered Honestly, she doesn't know if she personally knows Racket-kun or not. If she's seen one of his matches or if he's just a total stranger.

"Huh? You can't be serious Sakuno! What if this guy is like, a total pervert and sends you nasty things!" Tomoka is practically shouting at the receiver. Luckily for the twin braided girl, she pulled the phone away from her ear just in time before her eardrums could burst. She set the phone back to her ear once her best friend had finished hollering.

"Tomo-chan…" Sakuno snickered. "You worry too much. Fuji-senpai knows him and I trust Fuji-senpai."

There was a short pause. "Well…if you say so. But if he even sends you something inappropriate, cut him off! In fact, I'll cut off his wiener for you if you know what I mean!"

"Hai, hai, Tomo-chan." Sakuno's touched that her friend is so concerned. "Ah…"

Her phone alert her of a new text.

"I'll call you back after practice Tomo-chan." She said her goodbyes to her best friend and opened up the text message, scanning the words on the screen of her phone. Her expression soften. By Racket-kun's words, Sakuno sensed he might be a bit insecure. She could be completely off base but she somehow feels a mutual understanding towards Racket-kun nonetheless.

_Racket-kun, no rush when you respond to me alright?_  
_I appreciate you taking your time talking with me either way._ Sakuno inserts a heart in the text.  
_- Honey-chan._

**Send.**

Afternoon practice was a hellish experience. They had to finish doing their exercise at half the time they're usually limited to.

"My legs feel like jelly…" Akaya slumped onto the couch in the dorm room, groaning from his aching muscles. "Someone hand me my phone…"

A red phone is tossed brutally at Akaya. The Rikkai ace growled at the Fudomine Regular. "Jackass." Akaya mumbled then opens his phone, reading the new text. His brows knit, finding himself frustrated for some reason.

Yukimura entered the room and plops down on the sofa beside his kouhai. "Akaya, what are you up to?"

"Confused…"

Yukimura blinked, puzzled. "Confused?"

This caught a certain redhead's attention. "Confused? Sounds like love to me, nya!" On cue, Shiraishi entered the dorm room. "What? Who's in love?" The Shitenhoji captain asked and looked around the room. "Is it you Yukimura? Ahh…Ecstasy." Yukimura responded in shaking his head. "Not me, Akaya apparently."

Akaya glowered, "I-I'm not in love! It's just…my penpal I_—…_Don't tell Niou-senpai I have a penpal…" The boy shuddered, just imagining what Niou would do if he found out.

Kamio roll his eyes. "Whatever. Fat chance Kirihara would be in love when we're all here focusing on solely on tennis."

The Rikkai brat doesn't know if he should take that as an insult or not… But Kamio spew shit at him all the time so he wouldn't put it past the redhead. "Oh, whatever." Akaya quickly closes his phone before anyone has a chance to look at it. "Okay, let's get it straight, I'm not in love or anything, yeah?"

Shiraishi walks across the room, towards the bathroom. "That's a disappointment. It's like a breath of fresh air to hear someone talk about something other than tennis out here."

Yukimura nodded in agreement. "Why don't you fall in love for real, Akaya? Then we'll all have something to talk about."

"Yukimura-buchou!" The boy flailed his arms in a panic.

Yukimura chuckled happily.

* * *

Fuck.

What everyone said earlier is really getting to him… He didn't even reply to Honey-chan yet. Well, more like he is stopping himself from replying so he'd not think of her.

"Tch…"

Akaya walked down the corridors of the U-17 practice building, scratching the back of his head. Hah. How cowardly and lame. He's thinking about her right now because of a small nagging feeling of guilt. She texts him a lot…her texts brightens up his day by a bit but he couldn't do the same for her.

Akaya stops when he sees a small crack of light from a room. The Highschoolers inside are talking about a rumored samurai ghost or spirit, something like that. "Hah? How stupid." Akaya stayed to listen in, maybe he'll get sidetrack from hearing this ghost tale.

* * *

_I just wanted to respond to you before something bad happens to me. _  
_Honto ni sumimasen for sending you this message in the middle of the night! _  
_- Racket-kun._

**Send.**

Sakuno's ringer woke her up. "Hm…?" She sprung upright on her bed. '_Who could be messaging me this late?'_ Sakuno grabbed her phone to answer that questioning thought. "Racket-kun…?" Her vision hasn't completely cleared yet. "Mou…Racket-kun why did you…" She read the text and gasped Without a second thought, Sakuno dials Racket-kun's number. Her mind raced with concern, what did Racket-kun mean by that text? Something bad will happen to him!

"P-Pick up…"

Someone answered on the other line.

"H-Hello?"

Sakuno knows this voice. She doesn't have the slightest idea who it belong to though… and the phone makes it sound so different that she couldn't pinpoint the exact person.

"Racket-kun?"

A long pause.

"Honey-chan…? ACK! S-Step, step, one, two, one, two, turn, ina bauer... Step, step, one, two, one, two, turn, ina bauer…!"

Sakuno's brows knit from Racket-kun's unsual chanting. Man, he's really freaking out! "Wh-What's wrong? Racket-kun are you okay?"

"A-A ghost!" The boy on the other end of the line whimpers and continues the chant in a panic.

"Ghost…?" She nods and her expression shows pure determination as she listened to Racket-kun's chant.

She takes a deep breath and...

"Step, step, one, two, one, two, turn, ina bauer… Step, step, one, two, one, two, turn, ina bauer!" Sakuno chanted the mantra with him, hoping it'd help put him in ease.

* * *

**review replys and special thanks**

**Mistress Hydrangea: Haha thank you! Honestly, I'm having a lot of fun with this fic. ~.~ My other ones will just gather dust for a while, probably.**  
**Ruka-Yuuya: LOL! We'll see what happens~ I just write spontaneously and without planning. Thanks!**


	3. Chapter 3

**a/n: Ah... I would've updated sooner but I ordered a new game (Persona 3 FES) and it just arrived ; v ; Sorry guys! I've been distracted ever since! Sorry again, this chapter isn't very fluffy but I added more depth into the story, I suppose...? Still! No idea where this is going! Give me ideas in the feedback please?**

**special thanks to Guest (anonymous), Ruka-Yuuya, Mistress Hydrangea, mysweetkat, blackrabbit99, and Iku-sensei for reviewing for the previous chapter!**

_'thoughts'_

_text message_

_Kirihara stumbles across a new textmate while in the U-17 camp.  
_

let's connect

* * *

Honey-chan walked Akaya through that heavy ordeal during the night of the 'haunting'. He greatly appreciated her for that and what's more is that she did not poke fun of him for freaking out or anything along those lines, she was genuinely concerned and worried about his well being.

"Her voice…"

Akaya regrettably admitted that he doesn't remember the sound of it all too well. He blamed the supernatural distractions of the ghost for that. Akaya remembered it being exactly as he pictured she'd sound like… A bit of a squeaky, childish tone yet still sweet.

"Who's voice?" Sengoku pops up behind the Rikkai junior ace, grinning like an idiot.

Akaya jumps back in surprised. He's still rattled up from last night.

"Hey…?" The ginger haired Yamabuki player reaches a hand up. "You alright, Kirihara?"

Akaya whirled around with a wide expression. "O-Oh, Sengoku-san it's just you." Sengoku gives Akaya a curious look before letting go whatever the heck is wrong with his junior. "So did you say 'her'? Who's this 'her'? Do we have a girl here after all? Lucky! I knew this sausage fest would end soon!"

The raven-haired boy is suddenly bombarded with questions and becomes disoriented. "Wh-What?" A small tinted blush creep up his cheeks for some reason.

Sengoku waves his hand, discarding his previous questions that were making the boy dizzy. "Who's this girl you were talking about?"

Akaya shift his gaze away from the older U-17 member. Geez, he doesn't want to tell Sengoku-san last night's embarrassing events. "She's a penpal…" He wonders if Sengoku would tease him about this as well along with his roommates.

"Ehh…? Lucky~. I'd like to talk to a girl no matter how while we're here." Sengoku pouted then his eyes gleam with excitement. "'Ya got a picture of that penpal of yours, Aka-chin?" The second year looks surprised by that question. He shakes his head in response. "I don't even know what she looks like."

"You should ask her for a picture! Then show it to me~"

Akaya felt a sudden jolt of…anger? Maybe a feeling of protectiveness towards his penpal? Maybe even _jealousy_? Whatever the reason is, he's kinda pissed and the source of that is this happy go lucky Yamabuki player. The Rikkai junior ace clinches his fist and closes his eyes. As he opens his eyelids, red bloodshot eyes are seen leering intensely at the redhead.

"Sengoku-san let's have a match."

"Hm? Oh, sure I'd love to have a friendly match!"

A sinister grin spread across the devil boy's face.

_Thanks you for being there for me yesterday Honey-chan._  
_I owe you a lot, and I mean it…_  
_- Racket-kun_

_**ERASE.**_

Akaya would rather die than send his penpal such a sappy message. He stares solemnly at the blank screen of his cell phone. _'She wouldn't make fun of me or think of me differently if I did send it to her though…' _Akaya cracks a tiny smile. Maybe, just maybe it's alright to message his penpal whatever the heck he wants. They don't know one another personally, so maybe it'll be cool to not think and just respond whatever comes naturally.

Akaya doesn't think and just act according to his feelings as he types in his message.

_Hey, Honey-chan._  
_Thanks for consoling me yesterday._  
_I'd like to hear your voice again._  
_- Racket-kun_

**Send.**

Osakada Tomoka is annoyed.

She invited herself over to her best friend's room not too long ago to hang out but Sakuno kept nodding off on her as she tries to converse with the girl. Did Sakuno not get any sleep last night or something? Tomoka's cheeks bubble up, pouting. "Sa-ku-no!"

"Ah…"

Sakuno rub her eye and smiled sheepishly. She still kinda looks out of it.

"I'm sorry, that was rude of me… What where you saying Tomo-chan?"

"Mou! Weren't you listening at all?"

"Was it about Ryoma-kun?"

"Ah! So you were listening!"

It was a lucky guess. Sakuno doesn't want her friend to be upset with her so she nods, lightly. She knew Tomoka well enough to guess what's frequently on Tomoka's mind. Sakuno isn't Tomo-chan's best friend for nothing after all.

Tomoka smiled proudly. "As I was saying, we should visit the camp sometime and cheer Ryoma-sama on!"

Sakuno stared at Tomoka with a hesitant look. "A-Are we allowed to?" Sakuno asked. She doesn't want to see just Ryoma-kun, but the other regulars as well. The Seigaku Tennis club cheerleader nods vigorously. "Idiot Horio and a few other first years from other schools visited! So why not us? No harm would come to it."

Sakuno smiled with a curt nod. Tomo-chan is right, no harm, yeah? "Did Horio-kun tell you about his visit?" A small but barely noticeable blush crept up Tomoka's cheeks. "S-Sort of," Tomoka mutters dryly and shift her gaze to the floor.

"Is that why you didn't pick up the phone yesterday, Tomo-chan?" Sakuno giggles.

"M-Mou, Sakuno!" Tomoka pouts. She doesn't appreciate her friend teasing her. "Speaking of not picking up the phone, you wouldn't pick it up either last night when I tried to call you back!" Tomoka quickly tried to change the subject.

Sakuno blinked. Her mind backtracks and she recalls last night's turn of events with Racket-kun whimpering in fright over the phone.

"Ah, um that—"

A familiar sound of Sakuno's phone rang through her and her best friend's ear.

Sakuno flipped her phone open and checks to see the new text message. Sakuno's honey brown eyes widen when she read the words on the screen of her phone. Her cheeks turn a rosy color as she stares at a few certain final words on the message. Tomoka who is sitting beside Sakuno peeked at the text message. She let out an exasperated gasp.

"You SPOKE to him Sakuno?!"

Sakuno stiffened, shifting uncomfortably. "Un. Racket-kun was scared of ghosts in the camp and so…I called him to calm him down."

Tomoka couldn't believe how incredibly naïve and vulnerable her friend is! This person could be some sort of pervert or abuser or something! While Tomoka mulls over Sakuno's so called perverted textmate, Sakuno summed up a reply.

_No need to thank me!_  
_I have a feeling you would've done the same for me if I were in your place._  
_Oh…um my friend and I are planning to visit the camp, probably…_  
_However, feel free to call me whenever you like. (*^.^*)_  
_- Honey-chan_

Sakuno feels…excited. Her slender fingers tighten around the phone.

**Send.**

Akaya's getting a scolding from one of his roommates, Shiraishi-san for pulverizing Sengoku that afternoon. His eyes stay glued to the floor. "I'll…apologize to him later." Tch, he won't mean it though.

Shiraishi sighed and shook his head. "As long as you do." The Shitenhoji captain should have known better than to think it'd be this easy to control Kirihara's outrageous, violent self. The junior nodded then glances up at Shiraishi. "So are we done?"

"Yeah…" Shiraishi slowly left Akaya, thinking to himself that he didn't get through to the boy.

Akaya took the opportunity to check his cell phone. His expression lightened up when he saw a few new messages.

One from his mom, one from his older sister.

Yuck.

Ah! The last one is from the holder of his affections, Honey-chan.

Akaya grew silent. The hand that's holding his phone began to tremble.

He hid a grin behind the palm of his hand. He can hardly contain his excitement…

* * *

"I bet she's super cute…"

"Who is?" Niou tapped his kouhai's cheek with a freezing cold soda can, causing Akaya to flinch in surprise. "Niou-senpai?!"

"Piirin," Niou casually said one of his usual catchphrases with a smug smirk.

Akaya pulled away from his senpai. His brows knit in displeasure. "What do you want senpai?"

"I heard a rumor from Fuji…and I want to know who you've been heads over heels for lately."

The trickster stuffs his hands into his pockets. Ever since he came back from the hellish training with his fellow losers, he had noticed his kouhai acting weirdly off. Nothing drastic but still noticeable. From what Niou observed, Akaya acted like a boy with a crush. He's somewhat interested to see who the hell is unlucky enough to have caught hold of this boy's affections. In addition, he wants to know who took Akaya's attention away from tennis when they're inside a tennis training camp. Whoever this person is, they must be something special.

Akaya looked like a deer in headlights. "I-I don't like anyone! Niou-senpai is weirding me out… Buchouuu!" The boy quickly turned away, whining out for Yukimura in a childish manner.

Niou grabbed Akaya by the arm before he could get away and whispered smoothly into the boy's ear, "You're not convincing anyone…" The raven-haired boy flushed and yanked his arm away. "Stupid Niou-senpai!"

Akaya scrambled into his dorm room.

Niou smirked as a certain red cell phone dangle from his finger in front of him.

"Now who are you~? Puri."

Niou doesn't hesitate to invade the phone's records.


End file.
